With a recent Boston Phoenix nod as "Best New Band" and the Boston Herald placing them on their “5 Things To Change The Face Of Boston Arts and Entertainment” list, Apollo Sunshine was more of a co-bill than a true opener for fellow New Englanders, The Slip. Both bands, regardless of slot, played to a packed and festive Brooklyn crowd on a night when the entire city was full of tempting celebratory choices.
Apollo Sunshine, still beaming from those Boston accolades and the critical success of their self-titled sophomore album, tore through an energetic run of vocal harmonies, power rhythms and psych-indie rock. It’s a convoluted sound that jumps from one idea to the next, but the mainline has a stranglehold on well-crafted song structure. So no matter where they end up, or how disjointed things get, there’s an anchor beneath the chaos and it all come back collectively.
The Slip, going through their heaviest state of growth and development in years, held little back on this pre-New Years night and solidified themselves as another of Boston’s best. Since releasing 2002’s Angels Come On Time, The Slip has quietly transformed themselves from a jam-jazz trio with subtle rock undertones, to a contemporary power rock trio that has only breached the surface of potential. 90’s songs still pepper setlists, though younger compositions, such as “Even Rats” and “I Hate Love,” straddle an organic-indie line, breathing with the vulnerability of Jeff Tweedy, but charging hard in a minimal Black Keys backbeat. The gritty, lo-fi rhythms build with drummer Andrew Barr, the night’s MVP, while bassist Marc Friedman and brother guitarist Brad Barr create a cityscape of dissonance above the bone dry drums.
It’s been 10 years since those Berklee, Gecko-era days, and it’s refreshing to see a band progress naturally over the past decade, continuing to push boundaries and explore new ground. With a new album due in the Spring, followed with an expected tour, 2006 should be quite a year for The Slip. Apollo Sunshine’s not off to a bad start either.
For more info see apollosunshine.com and theslip.com
